Fellow Farmers, Can any one share maintenance practice differences or Highlights between the Tissue culture and Guttee planting for Pomegranate. This would mainly be for the Organic way of farming.
Also can we get certified saplings near Bangalore for Bhagwa Variety of Pomegranate.I believe that Jain Irrigation and Cadilla are providing certified saplings however i am looking for contact information/ location so that i can reach out to them.
hi Sudaresh,
I was sailing in the same boat contemplating between tissue culture and budded/guttee plants for pomegranate but went with guttee plants finally (just 5months back). Am no expert but I have been told by many local pomegranate farmers that tissue culture plants are more susceptible to diseases as their immunity levels are low compared to the guttee plants (they used the adage villagers can drink any local water and still be healthy and people who only drink mineral water can’t be as immune …). Have physically visited couple of farms with guttee plants and they are healthy and hence we went with guttee plants. having said that tissue culture plants to what i have seen have more marketable aspects such as uniform size/shape etc., it will take at least a year or two to post something with first hand experience.
thanks- Sunil
Dear Sri Sundaresh and resp vriti farms,
There are several methods in propagating the mother plants. In that, ghootis, layering, air layering, Tissue culture, grafting, sayaan etc are in practice. In all the above the Tissue culture plants are of the latest technology, which is universally accepted and an universally accepted/following method. The mother plants in this system are well studied for disease freeness , good charectors, and guaranteed for their quality, healthiness and disease free. I think, that we have to welcome the standard, universally accepted technologies.
One fact is true that, graftings, air layering saplings are much cheaper when compared to grafts and mainly Tissue culture saplings. To the extent possible, we should encourage and use tissue culture technology to the extent possible, as we can achieve good results with TC plants, as it is a successful universal technology.
I have visited several, very more number of pomegranate farms, used air layers, ghootis, grafts, Tissue plants, from several years and undoubtedly, observed that TC pomegranate plants are giving good results and they are the best, and trust worthy.
Any how, the above is my observations and opinion and it may be considered or not, left to the discretion of our fellow farmers.
With best wishes, g.p.rao, farmer